Apopka Blasts Into Semifinals

Little League World Series

Backed By Four Homers, Apopka Beat Iowa 10-3 And Advanced To Play Indiana In The U.s. Semis.

August 22, 2001|By Shannon Shelton, Sentinel Staff Writer

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- The hype about Apopka's slugging ways was all but an old wives' tale during its first two games at the Little League World Series.

Home run princes? These paupers struggled even to get a hit.

But Apopka found its swing Tuesday. Behind four home runs, Apopka erased a 3-0 deficit and beat Iowa's Davenport East 10-3.

Apopka advanced to the United States semifinals, playing Great Lakes champion Brownsburg, Ind., at 8 tonight. The winner of that game will go on to the U.S. championship, and that winner will play the international team for the world title.

Apopka (2-1) is three games away from a World Series title. Eight of the original 16 teams remain in competition. The winner of tonight's game will go on to the U.S. championship Saturday, and that winner will play the international team for the title.

"We're feeling great," said Andrew Cobb, who was two-for-two with a home run. "We came back from that first loss."

While the game ended up being a runaway, there were some nervous moments for Apopka in the first two innings as a pair of fielding errors and a solo homer put Iowa up 3-0.

Apopka tied the score with three runs on four hits. But that was just the start of Apopka's offensive dominance. Will Blankenship hit home runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and Brandon Brewer slammed a three-run shot in the fifth. Cobb led off the fifth with a home run, sparking a six-run inning. .

Apopka had hit 49 home runs in 21 games before the World Series but hadn't hit any in Williamsport until Tuesday.

"This is crazy," said Blankenship. "I was kind of confused in the beginning of the game, and I didn't think it looked too good. But after that first home run, it was fine."

As Blankenship hit what would be the game-winning home run to left-center in the fourth, his mother, Lyn, sprinted across the bleachers to jump into the arms of husband Chuck. She did it again on her son's second homer in the fifth.

Josh Tanski started on the mound but faced only seven batters in giving up three runs. Apopka Manager Bobby Brewer then shifted Tanski to right field and put Stuart Tapley on the mound. Tapley had a 100-degree fever earlier in the day, and Brewer was hesitant to put him in the game. But in five innings, Tapley gave up no hits and only one run.

"I just wanted to do my best, because that's all I can do," Tapley said.

Bronx Manager Alberto Gonzalez said Tuesday he would pitch ace Danny Almonte, who earlier pitched a perfect game against Apopka, against California. If so, and if the Bronx advances, Almonte would be ineligible to pitch in the U.S. championship Saturday. Little League rules state that pitchers cannot pitch two games in a row. Gonzalez could possibly use Almonte only for one inning, however, and the ace would be eligible for the next game.

The Bronx team has come under increasing scrutiny during the Little League World Series, with observers questioning the ages and residencies of the players. Gonzalez has denied the allegations that any of his players are ineligible under Little League rules.

Little League spokesman Lance Van Auken said he is aware of the accusations and said no evidence has been found to prove anything illegal.

"The Rolando Paulino team has been through more scrutiny than any other team on the face of the planet," Van Auken said. "Each time, there has been clear, irrefutable proof that they are eligible.

"They're so good, the assumption is that they're cheating. The team is very technically proficient. And they're in the bottom half of teams here in size."

Apopka could play New York in the U.S. title game Saturday if both teams win their semifinals. But for now, they can just celebrate making it to the next level.

"We're just going to try as hard as we can against Indiana," Cobb said. "If it doesn't work out, at least we got this far."